System and Method for Securing Pre-Association Service Discovery

1. A method for operating a first station in discovering a service, the method comprises: generating, by the first station, a first identifier of the service; generating, by the first station, a second identifier of the service in accordance with a first parameter; transmitting, by the first station, a request instructing a generating of a third identifier of the service by a second station, the request including the first identifier of the service and the first parameter; receiving, by the first station from the second station, a first response including the third identifier of the service; determining, by the first station, that the first response is valid in response to the second identifier of the service and the third identifier of the service being equal; and in response to the first response being valid, establishing, by the first station, a connection for the service with the second station.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first identifier is generated in accordance with a first process, the second identifier is generated in accordance with a second process, and the first parameter instructs that the third identifier is to be generated in accordance with the second process.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the first identifier in accordance with the first process comprises: hashing a service name of the service using a hash function, thereby producing a hash output; and truncating a first portion of the hash output to produce the first identifier, and wherein generating the second identifier in accordance with the second process comprises truncating a second portion of the hash output to produce the second identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein generating the second identifier of the service further comprises hashing the service name of the service using the hash function.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first response further includes service information of the service.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier of the service and a second parameter instructing a generating of the fourth identifier by the first station in accordance with a third process, and wherein the method further comprises: generating the fourth identifier of the service in accordance with the third process by truncating a third portion of the hash output to produce the fourth identifier of the service; transmitting, to the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier; and receiving, from the second station, a third response including service information of the service.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first parameter comprises a first nonce value used in generating the third identifier and the second identifier, wherein generating the second identifier comprises: combining the first nonce value and a service name of the service to produce a first modified service name, wherein combining the first nonce value and the service name comprises one of concatenating a string representing the first nonce value to the service name or applying a mathematical function to a value representing the service name and the first nonce value; hashing the first modified service name using a hash function, thereby producing a first hash output; and truncating a pre-specified portion of the first hash output to produce the second identifier.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first parameter further includes a second nonce value used in generating the first identifier, wherein generating the first identifier comprises: combining the second nonce value and the service name of the service to produce a second modified service name; hashing the second modified service name using the hash function, thereby producing a second hash output; and truncating the pre-specified portion of the second hash output to produce the first identifier.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the first identifier comprises: hashing the service name using the hash function, thereby producing a third hash output; and truncating the pre-specified portion of the third hash output to produce the first identifier.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first response further includes service information of the service.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier of the service and a third nonce value used in generating the fourth identifier by the first station, and wherein the method further comprises: generating the fourth identifier of the service in accordance with the third nonce value; transmitting, to the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier; and receiving, from the second station, a third response including service information of the service.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the fourth identifier of the service comprises: combining the third nonce value and the service name of the service to produce a third modified service name; hashing the third modified service name using the hash function, thereby producing a fourth hash output; and truncating the pre-specified portion of the fourth hash output to produce the fourth identifier.

13. A first station adapted to discover a service, the first station comprising: a processing unit configured to: generate a first identifier of the service, generate a second identifier of the service, wherein the second identifier is generated in accordance with a first parameter, determine that a first response is valid in response to the second identifier of the service and a third identifier of the service being equal, and in response to the first response being valid, establish a connection for the service with a second station; a transmitter operatively coupled to the processing unit, the transmitter configured to transmit a request instructing a generating of the third identifier of the service by the second station, the request including the first identifier of the service and the first parameter; and a receiver operatively coupled to the processing unit, the receiver configured to receive, from the second station, a first response including the third identifier of the service.

14. The first station of claim 13 , wherein the first identifier is generated in accordance with a first process, the second identifier is generated in accordance with a second process, and the first parameter instructs that the third identifier is to be generated in accordance with the second process.

15. The first station of claim 14 , wherein the processing unit is configured to: hash a service name of the service using a hash function to produce a hash output, truncate a first portion of the hash output to produce the first identifier, and truncate a second portion of the hash output to produce the second identifier.

16. The first station of claim 15 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier of the service and a second parameter instructing a generating of the fourth identifier by the first station in accordance with a third process, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: generate the fourth identifier of the service in accordance with the third process by truncating a third portion of the hash output to produce the fourth identifier of the service, transmit, to the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier, and receive, from the second station, a third response including service information of the service.

17. The first station of claim 13 , wherein the first parameter comprises a first nonce value used in generating the third identifier and the second identifier, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: combine a service name of the service with the first nonce value to produce a first modified service name, wherein the processing unit is configured to combine the service name with the first nonce value by one of concatenating a string representing the first nonce value to the service name or applying a mathematical function to a value representing the service name and the first nonce value, apply a hash function to the first modified service name to produce a first hash output, and truncate a pre-specified portion of the first hash output to produce the second identifier.

18. The first station of claim 17 , wherein the first parameter further includes a second nonce value used in generating the first identifier, wherein the processing unit is configured to: combine the service name with the second nonce value to produce a second modified service name, apply the hash function to the second modified service name to produce a second hash output, and truncate the pre-specified portion of the second hash output to produce the first identifier.

19. The first station of claim 17 , wherein the processing unit is configured to: apply the hash function to the service name to produce a third hash output, and truncate the pre-specified portion of the third hash output to produce the first identifier.

20. The first station of claim 17 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier of the service and a third nonce value instructing a generating of the fourth identifier by the first station, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: generate the fourth identifier of the service in accordance with the third nonce value, transmit, to the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier, and receive, from the second station, a third response including service information of the service.

21. The first station of claim 20 , wherein the processing unit is configured to: combine the service name with the third nonce value to produce a third modified service name, apply the hash function to the third modified service name to produce a fourth hash output, and truncate the pre-specified portion of the fourth hash output to produce the fourth identifier of the service.

22. A method for operating a first station in advertising a service, the method comprises: receiving, by the first station from a second station, a request including a first identifier of the service and a first parameter; generating, by the first station, a second identifier of the service; and in response to determining, by the first station, that the first and second identifiers of the service are equal: generating, by the first station, a third identifier of the service in accordance with the first parameter received from the second station, transmitting, by the first station to the second station, a first response including the third identifier of the service; and establishing, by the first station, a connection to provide the service to the second station.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the first response further includes service information of the service.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the first and second identifiers are generated in accordance with a first process, the third identifier is generated in accordance with a second process, and the first parameter instructs that the third identifier is to be generated in accordance with the second process.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein generating the second identifier in accordance with the first process comprises: hashing a service name of the service using a hash function, thereby producing a hash output; and truncating a first portion of the hash output to produce the second identifier, and wherein generating the third identifier in accordance with the second process comprises truncating a second portion of the hash output to produce the third identifier.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier and a second parameter instructing a generating of the fourth identifier by the second station in accordance with a third process, and wherein the method further comprises: generating a fifth identifier of the service in accordance with the third process by truncating a third portion of the hash output to produce the fifth identifier of the service; receiving, from the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier; and transmitting, to the second station, a third response including service information of the service in response to determining that the fourth and fifth identifiers are equal.

27. The method of claim 22 , wherein the first parameter comprises a first nonce value used in generating the third identifier, wherein generating the third identifier comprises: combining the first nonce value and a service name of the service to produce a first modified service name by one of concatenating a string representing the first nonce value to the service name or applying a mathematical function to a value representing the service name and the first nonce value; hashing the first modified service name using a hash function, thereby producing a first hash output; and truncating a pre-specified portion of the first hash output to produce the third identifier.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first parameter further includes a second nonce value used in generating the second identifier, and wherein generating the second identifier comprises: combining the second nonce value and the service name of the service to produce a second modified service name; hashing the second modified service name using the hash function, thereby producing a second hash output; and truncating the pre-specified portion of the second hash output to produce the second identifier.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein generating the second identifier comprises: hashing the service name using the hash function, thereby producing a third hash output; and truncating the pre-specified portion of the third hash output to produce the second identifier.

30. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier of the service and a third nonce value to be used in generating the fourth identifier by the second station, and wherein the method further comprises: generating a fifth identifier of the service in accordance with the third nonce value; receiving, from the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier; and transmitting, to the second station, a third response including service information of the service in response to determining that the fourth and fifth identifiers are equal.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein generating the fifth identifier of the service comprises: combining the third nonce value and the service name of the service to produce a third modified service name; hashing the third modified service name using the hash function, thereby producing a fourth hash output; and truncating the pre-specified portion of the fourth hash output to produce the fifth identifier.

32. A first station adapted to advertise a service, the first station comprising: a receiver configured to receive, from a second station, a request including a first identifier of the service and a first parameter; a processing unit operatively coupled to the receiver, the processing unit configured to: generate a second identifier of the service, and in response to the first and second identifiers of the service being equal: generate a third identifier of the service in accordance with the first parameter received from the second station, and establish a connection to provide the service to the second station; and a transmitter operatively coupled to the processing unit, the transmitter configured to transmit, to the second station, a first response including the third identifier of the service.

33. The first station of claim 32 , wherein the first and second identifiers are generated in accordance with a first process, the third identifier is generated in accordance with a second process, and the first parameter instructs that the third identifier is to be generated in accordance with the second process, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: hash a service name of the service using a hash function to produce a hash output, truncate a first portion of the hash output to produce the second identifier, and truncate a second portion of the hash output to produce the third identifier.

34. The first station of claim 33 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier and a second parameter instructing a generating of the fourth identifier by the second station in accordance with a third process, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: generate a fifth identifier of the service in accordance with the third process by truncating a third portion of the hash output to produce the fifth identifier of the service, receive, from the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier, and transmit, to the second station, a third response including service information of the service in response to determining that the fourth and fifth identifiers are equal.

35. The first station of claim 32 , wherein the first parameter comprises a first nonce value used in generating the third identifier, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: combine the first nonce value and a service name of the service to produce a first modified service name by one of concatenating a string representing the first nonce value to the service name or applying a mathematical function to a value representing the service name and the first nonce value, hash the first modified service name using a hash function, thereby producing a first hash output, and truncate a pre-specified portion of the first hash output to produce the third identifier.

36. The first station of claim 35 , wherein the first parameter further includes a second nonce value used in generating the second identifier, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: combine the second nonce value and the service name of the service to produce a second modified service name, hash the second modified service name using the hash function to produce a second hash output, and truncate the pre-specified portion of the second hash output to produce the second identifier.

37. The first station of claim 35 , wherein the processing unit is configured to: hash the service name using the hash function to produce a third hash output, and truncate the pre-specified portion of the third hash output to produce the second identifier.

38. The first station of claim 35 , wherein the first response further includes a request for a fourth identifier of the service and a third nonce value to be used in generating the fourth identifier by the second station, and wherein the processing unit is configured to: generate a fifth identifier of the service in accordance with the third nonce value, receive, from the second station, a second response including the fourth identifier, and transmit, to the second station, a third response including service information of the service in response to determining that the fourth and fifth identifiers are equal.

39. The first station of claim 38 , wherein the processing unit is configured to: combine the third nonce value and the service name of the service to produce a third modified service name, hash the third modified service name using the hash function to produce a fourth hash output, and truncate the pre-specified portion of the fourth hash output to produce the fifth identifier.